Sports

Kings take crazy Game 2 in 2OT thanks to Brown

Los Angeles Kings right wing Dustin Brown (23) celebrates with his teammates after scoring the game-winning goal against the New York Rangers in the second overtime period during game two of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final at Staples Center on Jun 7, 2014 in Los Angeles, CA, USA. (Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)

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Just about everybody watching New York put it to the Los Angeles Kings for 40 minutes on Saturday, scoring clutch goal after clutch goal to beat down three separate comeback attempts, fully expected this series to be 1-1 after Game 2.

Instead, the impossible-to-kill Kings rose from the dead one more time and beat the split out of the Eastern Conference Champions.

“Quite honestly, we’re not happy with how we’ve started these two games, at all,” said L.A. defenceman Willie Mitchell after the Kings, who trailed 2-0 in the first, 3-1 in the second and 4-2 in the third, did what they always do: Will themselves to victory.

“It baffles everyone in here. It’s not a place we want to be in to have to climb out of all the time. Sooner or later, it’s going to bite you in the ass.

“But the great part about it is we find a way to battle back.”

They always do.

This time, they tied it with two unanswered goals in the third and then won it when Dustin Brown scored at 10:26 of double-overtime for a 5-4 victory and 2-0 series lead.

It marked the third straight win in which the Kings fell behind by two goals and never led for one second of regulation. They eliminated the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 7 of the Western Conference final and have rallied back twice on the frustrated Rangers to take a 2-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup final.

“It’s an interesting stat,” said the Kings’ Justin Williams, who had three assists. “But, either way, we’re up 2-0. I don’t care how we got here.”

Just that they’re here.

The Rangers aren’t making it easy, though. They are making it very clear that the lopsided rout many predicted isn’t going to happen. With their speed and clutch scoring and with Henrik Lundqvist in net, they seem more than capable of standing up to the mighty L.A. machine.

They just haven’t found a way to beat them yet.

Just don’t ask if they can take solace in taking the Kings to OT twice in their own building despite being considered underdogs in the series.

“I don’t give a s--- about underdogs — that’s ridiculous,” said New York centre Brian Boyle.

“Give me a break. We’re not. We’re here, too. We’re a good team. And we can’t take any solace (in two close games) because we lost.

“We came here to win games. It doesn’t matter how the hell we do it, we have to win the game. If you don’t win the game, you didn’t do what you came to do and that’s the worst feeling there is.”

Knowing that, and having the Kings down twice and not being able to finish, is something that will haunt them if this series goes the wrong way.

“It’s not going to be easy, it’s the Stanley Cup finals,” said Rangers centre Derek Stepan.

“It’s going to be a battle. I think they’ve been pretty fortunate to be able to come at us and get a little momentum. We have to find a way to not get hurt in those momentum swings.”

The Rangers, as they did in Game 1, played stride for stride with Los Angeles and once again jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals from Ryan McDonagh at 10:48 and Mats Zuccarello at 18:46 of the first period.

It was 4-2 through 40 after Jarret Stoll and Willie Mitchell scored for Los Angeles and Martin St. Louis and Derick Brassard replied for the Rangers.

Then the Kings cued yet another comeback, cutting it to 4-3 on a controversial goal from Dwight King 1:38 into the third (it could have been called goaltender interference) and tying it on Marian Gaborik’s equalizer at 7:36.

Brown’s deflection in double-OT sealed the deal.

“It wasn’t the start we were looking for, but we showed the character and grit in this room in another come-from-behind victory in overtime,” said L.A. defenceman Jake Muzzin.

The Rangers have to do some damage at home now — fast, or this thing is over. But having seen the first eight or so periods of the first two games, they believe they can do it.

“We go home now and you try to stay positive, believing in what we do in here,” said Lundqvist.